MEPHEDRONE BAN IS IRRATIONAL RESPONSE

In a liberal democracy, why should the State decide what adults can
inject, imbibe, ingest or inhale?

Sir, The criminalisation of the possession of mephedrone (report,
April 16) represents the triumph of irrationality over good sense. The
manner in which this has come about illustrates why we are unable to
conduct a sensible national discussion on drugs-related issues. The
role of the police in what passed for a discussion is disconcerting to
say the least.

Long before the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs had even begun
to consider the issue, some police officers were stopping and even
arresting citizens for possession of mephedrone and were thus meddling
in matters that were then of no legitimate police concern. The ACMD
appears to have been bullied, for political reasons, into making a
rushed, ill-informed decision. The decision and its over-hasty
endorsement by the political establishment were based on a view - that
the use of "psychoactive" drugs is inherently wrong and should and can
be stamped out - that has never been the subject of national debate.

As a responsible adult, I object to the State telling me what I can
inject, imbibe, ingest or inhale. These are inherently personal
decisions that ought, in a liberal democracy, to be mine alone to take.

Professor Geoffrey Alderman

London NW9